The door opened. A small hand reached in.

"Ma-Master."

A young servant, with an unhealed wound on her face, nervously handed something over. Her cheek still slightly flushed, she seemed hesitant.

"Would you... like some sweets?"

She hesitated. What was that about?

Though it seemed like it had been a while since she'd done this, she still seemed awkward. The 29th Warrior understood the cause of her hesitation.

Children tend to remember things more vividly than expected.

Especially when it’s something they couldn’t do back then.

The ones living below... she was no different. How much had she struggled not to fit in?

She stared at the sweets in the child’s hand. There were five pieces, and the child’s fidgeting hands made it look rather cute.

...Just like my sister.

She had done this for me, bringing them to me in this very way.

Shy, pretending to be nonchalant, but hoping I would enjoy them.

"...Come in."

The 29th Warrior stepped aside.

"Let’s eat together."

"I... I’ve eaten enough already..."

"I told you, didn’t I? The right thing to do is to eat together. Sweets don’t taste good if you eat them alone."

The child stepped hesitantly inside. She placed the bag of sweets on the table and nervously glanced around.

The 29th Warrior picked one up. It was slightly darker in color, and the sweet fragrance filled the air.

She took a small bite. As expected, it was delicious.

"...It’s tasty."

But it wasn’t the sweetness of the sweets that lingered.

It was the sweetness of goodwill.

The 29th Warrior quickly pushed the bag toward the child.

"What are you doing? Aren’t you eating?"

"Y-Yes...!"

The child nervously took a piece of the sweet and placed it in her mouth. The tension on her face melted away like a smile.

She looked so beautiful when she smiled. Yes, children are wonderful. Cute, full of affection, and pure.

"Is it good?"

"Yes...!"

"Eat more."

"B-but these were brought for you..."

"I’m eating too, aren’t I?"

A sudden thought came to mind, and the 29th Warrior asked.

"Did you happen to see the man who came with me? He’s a bit tall, broad-shouldered."

"Yes! I saw him. I’ve already given him some. He told me to bring sweets for you as well, so I brought them."

"......."

Always busybody.

The 29th Warrior shoved the rest of the sweets into her mouth. One had a slightly more complex taste than the rest.

I don’t like that man. But what about the 30th Warrior?

I don’t know.

Perhaps it’s because he did something for me. I just...

---It feels different from the person I’ve seen before.

"Ma-Master..."

"Yes?"

"The head of the Sama family... he’s really a kind person."

"Heh... Did he send you?"

"Yes, no! Actually... I told the man I met earlier, but I still wanted to tell you too..."

The young servant fidgeted with her hands, avoiding eye contact.

"Once you talk to him, you’ll see he’s really kind! He’s not what he seems at first!"

"His personality is really awful, though."

"Yes?!"

"I’m joking. Maybe he’s just gruff on the outside."

Actually, I don’t like him.

His awful way of speaking. I still can’t get used to it.

But for the sake of the young servant's innocence, I gave a small smile.

"Why do you like him?"

"He’s kind to us. Really..."

"How does he treat you kindly?"

"He gives us food... raises our wages... gives us places to rest... and reduced our work."

"Hmm..."

"But... there’s something bigger."

"What’s that?"

"He always smiles."

That man?

"He doesn’t seem like someone who smiles."

"No, he does! If you look closely, his lips curl up slightly."

"Is that true?"

"Yes, really. He smiles. His tone is harsh, but when the head of the family smiles...”

The young servant chuckled.

"I feel like I’m a part of the Sama family now... That’s why I want to do everything for him."

"......."

"So, Master, if you meet him often, you’ll understand."

"Is this a bribe?"

"N-no, it’s not a bribe... it’s just..."

The young servant touched her cheek nervously.

"I... did something bad. To you, Master. But you even put medicine on my wounds, so... both you and the head of the family are kind people..."

"Even kind people sometimes can’t get along."

"...Is that so?"

The young servant looked disheartened. The 29th Warrior smiled faintly.

She gently rolled the sweet in her mouth with her tongue.

It’s sweet.

Really sweet.

So sweet.

"Well, I’ve already eaten it."

".......?"

What is goodwill?

I honestly don’t know.

...But one thing I do know.

"I’ll try."

That sweets given by others are sweet.

***

"---Chae-Aaang!!"

The swords clash. The fingertips resonate.

With that, the body is pushed back. The footprints digging into the ground stretch long.

The 29th Warrior gasps for air.

What’s in front? The dust obscures everything.

A sword. A strange-looking sword. The form of the person holding it slowly emerges.

It’s the disciple of the one who introduced himself as "The Soul-Devouring Sword"—No Hajin.

---Gukjinmyeong.

Her hands tremble. It’s not just out of fear. After a single exchange of blows, strangely, her hands are shaking uncontrollably.

It’s as though the very soul in her hands has flown away. Why is this happening?

This is ridiculous...

"Sojeo. It’s not too late."

The voice that whispered had a slight quiver. The one who revealed himself as Gukjinmyeong spoke.

"Step back. I’ll let you go then."

"I told you I can’t do that!"

Without hesitation, she charges forward, unleashing the Guchunhyeolmago.

The strength is channeled into the sword she thrusts. Even though she hasn’t imbued it with sword energy yet, the very air around the sword feels sharp.

The downward strike. A blow that could cleave anything—Danhonchu.

But it’s deflected. Even the sword’s edge is repelled.

All of it.

---All of it is deflected.

"Khuk?!"

Something crashes into her stomach. The 29th Warrior is shoved back, her body stumbling and swaying in disorientation. After vomiting what’s in her stomach, she barely catches her breath.

Her stomach feels strange. It’s the same as when swords clashed.

...This is...

"Internal injury...?!"

"The Soul-Devouring Sword is an art that steals the enemy’s soul. Just the collision of blades destroys the internals."

Gukjinmyeong flicks his hand. A strange energy ripples around him.

She has been robbed. Part of her life force.

"That’s a terrible pain. Sojeo. You’ll see your internal energy taken as well. The Soul-Devouring Sword becomes stronger the longer it fights. As it steals and destroys, the greater the difference in levels, the more devastating it becomes."

"Hck... Hck..."

"Sojeo. There’s a reason I’m saying this. I don’t want you to die. Sacrificing oneself for someone isn’t something just anyone can do."

Gukjinmyeong smiles bitterly.

"Such a person should live long. I too know what it means to be saved by someone. So I’ll say this clearly. This is an unnecessary death. Sojeo."

"...Why... why are you deciding this...?"

"I’m going after the head of the Sama family. Because my savior, the person who saved me, told me to. So whatever happens, I will pursue him. If something stands in my way, I’ll cut it down, and if it’s firm, I’ll crush it."

"......."

"Sojeo, whether you give up your life here or not, the head of the Sama family will fall into my hands. So stop your futile struggle. You cannot defeat me."

He mutters arrogantly.

It’s infuriating.

The 29th Warrior bites her lip and straightens her wobbling body.

She recalls what she can do.

Gyusuilma. And the four applied forms of it.

Gyeongyeongbo and Danhonchu. All except one of the applications she learned.

She checks what she can do and how far she can go.

Her gaze steadies. More calmly now.

She’s afraid. If she didn’t feel fear, something would be wrong.

Gukjinmyeong’s words are right. Whether she lives or dies, the result may not change. She might just die hopelessly, without accomplishing anything—everything could end like that.

She’s scared.

The fact that even the struggles she made might become meaningless.

"......."

But does that give her a reason to let go of the sword?

...She doesn’t know. Still.

She doesn’t know anything.

But...

Still!

She breathes out. Her vision blurs. No matter how much she draws on her internal energy, it’s the same.

But still, she takes a step forward. The sound of Gukjinmyeong’s tongue clicking fills the air.

"This is an evil move, Sojeo."

Shut up.

She doesn’t speak the words. She lets them flow into her sword.

They collide.

---Kaaang!

The swords collide, clashing against each other. She pushes forward. Misses. They crash and crumble.

In a single breath, they merge. She spins her body. Avoiding the sword strike. She retaliates with force.

She steps forward. Attacking Gukjinmyeong’s twisted body.

She loses her sword. It flies backward.

She stands again. She moves. She moves the sword.

She moves the sword...

---Kaaang!!

She moves the sword...

---Kaaang!! Kaaang!!

She moves the sword...

---Kwadeuk.

What was that?

Her body, thrown back, crashes to the ground. Gukjinmyeong gasps for air.

But she can’t even see the end of his labored breathing. His collapsed body gathers strength.

She can’t stand.

She can’t move.

"...Stay down."

Gukjinmyeong says.

"Just stay down, Sojeo."

It’s fine to stay down.

...Yeah.

Maybe it’s better that way.

But who will stand in the place of someone who’s been lying down all this time? The 29th Warrior struggles to grab her sword.

The difference in skill is immense. Her body isn’t cooperating.

Her internal injury is severe. Even when she swings her sword, it doesn’t connect.

She barely grazes one. What about next?

What comes after her whole body breaks?

Her head doesn’t move. The 29th Warrior exhales the air she’s been holding. She coughs up blood, trembling as she stands.

"Why..."

Gukjinmyeong asks.

"Why are you doing this?"

Why?

She doesn’t know. Maybe it’s because her head’s gone crazy from only swinging the sword.

Or maybe it’s just stubbornness. Rivalry. Admiration.

She doesn’t know. She doesn’t know.

But...

Because... there’s the sword.

Because the sword is there.

"....Ah."

Her voice trails off as she drags herself up. Still, she struggles to raise herself.

She stands with the sword propped up, wobbling.

One of her eyes is gone. She feels the blood running down the side of her face.

Her body isn’t intact. One arm is broken. All she has left is one arm.

But still, she can hold the sword...

She can still grip the sword.

"Why..."

Why, indeed.

She whispers into the sword she holds. Right before reaching the final moments of her life.

Why... do you go so far?

Because...

Because...

"White Plum. It’s okay. You are a beautiful and pure flower."

Because...

"Isn’t the aftertaste a bit bitter, 29th Warrior?"

"I... hate myself!"

A voice trembled, breaking through the night. Her words carried the weight of countless regrets, of every time she had turned away, every excuse she had made. Her hands clenched tightly around the hilt of her sword.

"I want to change..."

This wasn’t the first time she had wished for change, yearned for it with all her heart. But every time, she had failed.

Failed to be there when her sister needed her most.
Failed to stand by 30th Warrior, sending him alone into the darkness.
Failed to act, knowing full well what she should have done but deliberately turning a blind eye.

"I don’t want to be the same."

Not the same cowardly self.
Not the same person who always arrived too late, always one step behind.

"Always... too late..."

She muttered between ragged breaths. One eye blinded, the other stained red with blood, but still, she gripped her sword. Even if it was too late, she still held it now.

Her sister had once said, "Even if you’re late, you can always catch up."

"30th Warrior... that child..."

"Just keep walking. Even if you look away or wander off at times..."

Her thoughts intertwined with her sister’s words as they spilled unbidden from her lips, tears mixing with blood. Yet, instead of breaking into sobs, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, blood smearing across her face.

Move.
Even if it’s late, move.

The one thing she had always managed to do was take that step forward, even if she trailed behind everyone else.

"I can’t... let go. I can’t give up everything I’ve come to care about..."

Her trembling hands gripped the sword harder. A sword she had once used to run away was now her anchor to stand tall. The blood-red aura of the Guchunhyeolmago began to flicker at the blade's tip, as if resonating with her resolve.

"I won’t... let you pass."

The Danhonchu, the technique forged in the shadows of her retreat, now shone under the moonlight for the first time.

"I..."

Through trembling lips, she forced a weak, mocking grin, masking her fear with a desperate attempt at humor.

"I’ve already been paid in advance."

"...What advance payment?"

The disciple, Gukjinmyeong, questioned her with a furrowed brow.

"One piece of candy."

The scarlet aura surrounding her blade grew deeper, as if absorbing her unyielding resolve. It wasn’t much, but it was real. Every ounce of her desperation fueled the energy around her, clawing past the edges of death itself.

"Sword aura?!"
Gukjinmyeong’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She shifted her weight.
One foot forward.
One foot back.
A stance both steady and resolute.

Just like 30th Warrior.
The way he always stood firm, fearless, even in the face of overwhelming odds.

"...Guchunhyeolmago."

The name of the technique left her lips like a whispered prayer.

Her wish was simple.
It had always been simple.

"Danhonchu!"

With that cry, the blade moved, cutting through the oppressive silence of the night, shattering the stillness.

A white flower that had always been dormant finally bloomed in the dark.
It surged forward, fearless and defiant, tearing through the void to make its mark.

It wasn’t about winning. It was about moving forward.
At last, the white plum blossomed.